WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22 | 6 PM | GRANGE HALL

WAITING TO CONTINUE: The Venezuelan Asylum Seekers on Martha’s Vineyard

Dirs. Ollie Becker, Tom Ellis, and Tim Persinko | Documentary | U.S.A. | 2023 | 20 min. | English and Spanish with English subtitles

Followed by a discussion with film subjects; tickets for this film’s opening-night screening also include admission to a dinner preceding it

Given false promises of work and housing, 48 Venezuelan migrants were flown from San Antonio, Texas, to Martha’s Vineyard last September. This film documents their three-day experience on the Island, before they were transported to Joint Base Cape Cod for further assistance by state and federal agencies. Featuring interviews with the Venezuelans, and with Vineyard residents who supported them, this is a captivating local retelling of the manufactured crisis.

WAITING TO CONTINUE is also playing on Saturday, 3/25 at the Capawock Theatre

THURSDAY, MARCH 23 | 4:30 PM | GRANGE HALL

JUDY BLUME FOREVER

Dirs. Davina Pardo and Leah Wolchok | Documentary | U.S.A. | 2023 | 1 hr. 37 min.

Followed by a prerecorded discussion with film subject Judy Blume, co-directors Davina Pardo and Leah Wolchok, and Vineyard Haven children’s librarian Emily LaPierre

In this celebration of a beloved American author who has influenced generations of readers with her radical honesty about puberty and sex, directors Davina Pardo and Leah Wolchok trace Judy Blume's journey from fearful yet imaginative childhood to becoming a storytelling pioneer who faced censorship and fought back. Featuring playful animation, intimate conversations with other writers and artists, and heartfelt letters from fans, this film attests to Blume's lasting impact and contribution to the understanding of sexuality and growing up.

THURSDAY, MARCH 23 | 5 PM | FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH

Narrative Shorts: CONNECTIONS

45 min.

Followed by a discussion with filmmakers Amy Yasmine Omar and Cameron Morton

One purpose of film is to tell stories that reflect the human experience. These shorts focus on connections with those we love—from two friends getting each other through work (and heartbreak), to the affection of a dog and his toys.

THURSDAY, MARCH 23 | 7 PM | FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH

LOVELY JACKSON

Dir. Matt Waldeck | Documentary | U.S.A. | 2022 | 1 hr. 44 min.

Followed by a discussion with director Matt Waldeck and film subjects Rickey Jackson, his wife Clarissa Jackson, and their daughter Lovely Jackson

Rickey Jackson was only 18 when he was sentenced to death. For 39 years, three months, and nine days, he sat inside a jail cell for a 1975 Cleveland murder he didn’t commit. To probe into memory’s role in his experience, this new documentary eschews the typical true-crime format, opting instead for surreal reenactments often featuring Jackson himself. While the genre can be treacherous for films trying to recapture and convey raw emotion, director Matt Waldeck’s visceral approach allows for an authentic telling of Jackson's story and offers hope to those desperate for reform in the American criminal justice system.

THURSDAY, MARCH 23 | 7:30 PM | GRANGE HALL

Bad press

Dirs. Rebecca Landsberry-Baker and Joe Peeler | Documentary | 2023 | 1 hr. 38 min. | English and Mvskoke with English subtitles

Followed by a discussion with co-directors Rebecca Landsberry-Baker and Joe Peeler, film subject Angel Ellis, and representatives of the Aquinnah Cultural Center

In Okmulgee, Oklahoma, Angel Ellis is a reporter for Mvskoke Media, striving to give her readers access to all the information relevant to the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. It’s not an easy task, given that she and her colleagues believe in truth and transparency, and aren't afraid to challenge authority. But at a session of the tribe’s National Council, its 2015 Free Press Act is repealed, Mvskoke Media's independent editorial board is dissolved, and the newspaper is placed under the control of tribal government. Now the real fight begins. A nuanced tale about abuse of power—and a people’s ability to reclaim it—in a modern Native community, this film won a special jury award at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.

Friday, MARCH 24 | 2 PM | GRANGE HALL

Plan C

Dir. Tracy Droz Tragos | Documentary | U.S.A. | 2022 | 1 hr. 39 min.

Followed by discussion with a film subject and a guest from Friends of Family Planning of Martha’s Vineyard

This urgent film from director Tracy Droz Tragos (Rich Hill) follows public health activist Francine Coeytaux, the co-founder and co-director of a national campaign to provide abortion pill access. She and her team look for legal ways to help women who need it, relying on mobile clinics in a grassroots effort that has become even more tireless since Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the U.S. Supreme Court decision that only last year overturned the constitutional right to an abortion.

FRIDAY, MARCH 24 | 2:30 PM | First congregational church

utopia: WILD VISIONS IN SILICON VALLEY

Dirs. Angela Andersen and Claus Kleber | Documentary | Germany | 2022 | 44 min.

Island filmmaker Angela Andersen and co-director Claus Kleber offer insight into the terrifying machinations of the tech world. Featuring interviews with Silicon Valley inventors and whistleblowers, their film highlights the bounty of our new future—and its dangers. Primarily focusing on the impact of moguls like Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and Larry Page, it seeks to explain why this industry seems determined to set a course for humanity without considering the consequences we may face.

FRIDAY, MARCH 24 | 4 PM | CAPAWOCK THEATRE

JOYLAND

Dir. Saim Sadiq | Drama | Pakistan | 2022 | 2 hrs. 6 min. | Punjabi and Urdu with English subtitles

In the city of Lahore, bashful Haider has finally ended a long period of unemployment by taking a job at a Bollywood-style burlesque show. His wife, Mumtaz, enjoys the challenges and freedom of working in a beauty salon, but when Haider is hired as a backup dancer for the alluring, transgender Biba, he encounters a new world of identity and expression that upends the norms of traditional Pakistani family life and his marriage. After winning awards at Cannes and other international film festivals, this has become the first-ever Pakistani film shortlisted for Best International Feature Film at the Academy Awards.

FRIDAY, MARCH 24 | 5 PM | FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH

Documentary shorts:
WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS

55 min.

Followed by a discussion with directors Jason Blevins and Elina Street, and producer Olena Lysenko

Featuring stories of human resilience, and the inspiring dedication of those who refuse to give up, these short documentaries remind us that amidst personal, national, and global conflicts we are connected through our potential to persevere.

FRIDAY, MARCH 24 | 7:15 PM | FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH

IT’S ONLY LIFE AFTER ALL

Dir. Alexandria Bombach | Documentary | U.S.A. | 2022 | 2 hrs. 3 min.

Followed by a discussion with director Alexandria Bombach 

Well before they became the internationally famous, out-and-proud, folk rock duo known as the Indigo Girls, Amy Ray and Emily Saliers had begun performing together while still just high school students in Decatur, Georgia. This intimate reflection on their long friendship, musical collaboration, and activism is as fun as it is purposeful, a celebration of the independent artist. Sundance-winning director Alexandria Bombach (On Her Shoulders) pairs archival audiotape recordings and footage with contemporary interviews to create a moving career retrospective of these two trailblazers.

FRIDAY, MARCH 24 | 7:15 PM | CAPAWOCK THEATRE

Stephen curry: underrated

Dir. Peter Nicks | Documentary | U.S.A. | 2023 | 1 hr. 50 min. | Rated PG-13

This atypical sports film by award-winning director Peter Nicks (The Force, Homeroom) is a multifaceted portrait of NBA titan Stephen Curry, documenting his path from unremarkable high school basketball player to global star. The film covers his improbable ascent at Davidson College, where he led the 10-seed Wildcats to an exciting Elite Eight run at the 2008 NCAA tournament. Then, weaving Golden State Warriors 2021 season footage with archival, Nicks takes us behind the scenes of Curry's personal and professional life, drawing parallels between his past and present experiences.

Friday, March 24 | 7:30 PM | Grange Hall

SPECIAL SURPRISE SCREENING

1 hr. 45 min. (approx.)

Join us for this exclusive look at a renowned director's new feature-length documentary work in progress.

SATURDAY, MARCH 25 | 10 AM | GRANGE HALL

Stephen curry: underrated

Dir. Peter Nicks | Documentary | U.S.A. | 2023 | 1 hr. 50 min. | Rated PG-13

This atypical sports film by award-winning director Peter Nicks (The Force, Homeroom) is a multifaceted portrait of NBA titan Stephen Curry, documenting his path from unremarkable high school basketball player to global star. The film covers his improbable ascent at Davidson College, where he led the 10-seed Wildcats to an exciting Elite Eight run at the 2008 NCAA tournament. Then, weaving Golden State Warriors 2021 season footage with archival, Nicks takes us behind the scenes of Curry's personal and professional life, drawing parallels between his past and present experiences.

SATURDAY, MARCH 25 | 10 AM | FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH

Bad press

Dirs. Rebecca Landsberry-Baker and Joe Peeler | Documentary | 2023 | 1 hr. 38 min. | English and Mvskoke with English subtitles

Followed by a discussion with co-directors Rebecca Landsberry-Baker and Joe Peeler, film subject Angel Ellis, and representatives of the Aquinnah Cultural Center

In Okmulgee, Oklahoma, Angel Ellis is a reporter for Mvskoke Media, striving to give her readers access to all the information relevant to the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. It’s not an easy task, given that she and her colleagues believe in truth and transparency, and aren't afraid to challenge authority. But at a session of the tribe’s National Council, its 2015 Free Press Act is repealed, Mvskoke Media's independent editorial board is dissolved, and the newspaper is placed under the control of tribal government. Now the real fight begins. A nuanced tale about abuse of power—and a people’s ability to reclaim it—in a modern Native community, this film won a special jury award at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.

SATURDAY, MARCH 25 | 10:15 AM | CAPAWOCK THEATRE

HEALING DAKOTA

Dir. James Michael LaMonte | Documentary | U.S.A. | 2022 | 1 hr. 22 min.

Discussion to follow with director James Michael LaMonte, cinematographer Zach Levenson, sound designer Jan Klier, and executive producer Elizabeth Cook; three K-9 dogs, and the police who work with them, will also be in attendance

Once one of the world’s 2,100,000 active working dogs, Dakota, a German Shepherd who was part of the K-9 team involved in the search for the Boston Marathon bombers, is now struggling with PTSD. His rehabilitation initiated a journey with Jim LaMonte, a dog trainer whose relationship with Dakota inspired him to found the K9 PTSD Center in Seekonk, Massachusetts. Three years in the making, this film chronicles the connection between Jim and Dakota, as well as Jim’s efforts to address mental health issues in retired working dogs.

SATURDAY, MARCH 25 | 12:45 PM | GRANGE HALL

BUTTERFLY, BUTTERFLY

Dir. Len Morris | Documentary | Brazil / India / Indonesia / Kenya / U.S.A. | 2022 | 40 min.

Followed by a discussion with director Len Morris, producer Petra Lent McCarron, food activist and writer Ali Berlow, and film subject José Velázquez Castellanos; Mr. Morris will also share an 8-minute excerpt from his new work in progress, THE PINK BUCKET, which is co-directed by Fernanda Mora Brenes and Ms. McCarron

For the last 30 years, Island filmmaker Len Morris has filmed on every continent and across the U.S., observing the changes that have occurred, for better or worse, in children's human rights. Drawn from never-before-seen footage, his latest film examines child labor in American agriculture as well as in tobacco, coffee, and cocoa farming elsewhere. It considers the plight of children on the street or in prison, and the massive inequality that consigns some to forced labor and contributes to 13.7 million fleeing for their lives. A measure of the gains made through advocacy, and a look at a new generation of youth activists and leaders, this film is a personal salute to the beauty and resilience of children.

SATURDAY, MARCH 25 | 12:45 PM | CAPAWOCK THEATRE

WAITING TO CONTINUE: The Venezuelan Asylum Seekers on Martha’s Vineyard

Dirs. Ollie Becker, Tom Ellis, and Tim Persinko | Documentary | U.S.A. | 2023 | 20 min. | English and Spanish with English subtitles

Followed by a discussion with film subjects 

Given false promises of work and housing, 48 Venezuelan migrants were flown from San Antonio, Texas, to Martha’s Vineyard last September. This film documents their three-day experience on the Island, before they were transported to Joint Base Cape Cod for further assistance by state and federal agencies. Featuring interviews with the Venezuelans, and with Vineyard residents who supported them, this is a captivating local retelling of the manufactured crisis.

SATURDAY, MARCH 25 | 1 PM | FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH

Saloum

Dir. Jean Luc Herbulot | Thriller / Horror | Senegal / France | 2021 | 1 hr. 24 min. | French, Wolof, English, Spanish, and sign language with English subtitles

During the 2003 Guinea-Bissau coup d’état, three mercenaries endeavor to escape with a wanted drug lord and a briefcase full of gold. When their plane springs a leak on the way to Dakar, Senegal, they seek refuge in a holiday camp in the country’s coastal region, the Sine-Saloum Delta, where they encounter a police captain, a mysterious deaf and mute woman, and supernatural forces that threaten to expose the trio’s true identities and past secrets. Proudly billed as a “southern,” Congolese director Jean Luc Herbulot’s second feature is a fast-paced genre-bender that flaunts but also sets itself apart from its Western influences, telling a story that is emphatically African.

SATURDAY, MARCH 25 | 2:30 PM | CAPAWOCK THEATRE

DEEP RISING

Dir. Matthieu Rytz | Documentary | U.S.A. | 2023 | 1 hr. 33 min.

While the batteries that power the electric-vehicle revolution are reducing our dependence on fossil fuels, the rare metals needed to produce them require yet more extraction of natural resources. In this timely documentary about the burgeoning global interest in seafloor mining expeditions, director Matthieu Rytz (Anote’s Ark) takes a fly-on-the-wall approach, following mining startup The Metals Company as it leads the corporate charge into our planet’s last relatively unplundered place. Jason Momoa (Game of Thrones, Aquaman) narrates.

SATURDAY, MARCH 25 | 3 PM | GRANGE HALL

The Lady Bird Diaries

Dir. Dawn Porter | Documentary | U.S.A. | 2023 | 1 hr. 40 min.

Followed by a discussion with director Dawn Porter and producer Kimberly Reynolds

From MVFF favorite and award-winning filmmaker Dawn Porter (Rise Again: Tulsa and the Red Summer) comes this groundbreaking, all-archival film about Lady Bird Johnson, one of the most influential and least understood First Ladies. Delving into the 123 hours of personal audio diaries she recorded during her husband’s presidency—revealing that she was an astute observer of character and culture, as well as a savvy political strategist—it recasts her crucial role in the White House and brings us behind the scenes of one of the most tumultuous, consequential periods in modern American history.

SATURDAY, MARCH 25 | 3:15 PM | FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH

patou: in black and white

Dir. Fiona Cochrane | Documentary | Australia | 2022 | 55 min.

Introduced, via Zoom, by director Fiona Cochrane and film subject Pat “Patou” Powell

Pat Powell, also known as Patou, is one of Australia’s most accomplished vocal talents. He’s performed with 15 bands and quite a few international stars, and is a two-time winner of ARIA Awards (the Aussie equivalent of the Grammys). Born in the U.K. to Jamaican parents, he fled racism only to find it in his new home down under. Yet he stayed, and went on to father four children with four different women. This film is both a tribute to a wonderful singer, and a thoughtful study of how blended families grapple with identity.  

SATURDAY, MARCH 25 | 5:15 PM | CAPAWOCK THEATRE

SHOWING UP

Dir. Kelly Reichardt | Drama | U.S.A. | 2022 | 1 hr. 48 min. | Rated R

In her fourth collaboration with indie favorite Kelly Reichardt (First Cow), Michelle Williams joins fellow 2023 Oscar nominees Hong Chau (The Whale) and The Fabelmans castmate Judd Hirsch in this subtle, funny film nominated for the Palme d’Or at last year’s Cannes Film Festival. A Portland, Oregon, sculptor navigating a host of personal problems while preparing for an important show, she’s distracted by a neglectful landlord who’s also a rival artist, an injured pigeon she feels obliged to rescue, and family drama with her separated parents and bipolar brother. While these misfortunes might make for screwball comedy in another film, Reichardt once again deftly shows how the chaos of life can elicit sympathy and humor.

SATURDAY, MARCH 25 | 5:30 PM | FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH

THE ART OF SILENCE

Dir. Maurizius Staerkle Drux | Documentary | Switzerland / Germany | 2022 | 1 hr. 21 min. | English, German, and French with English subtitles

Although he entertained audiences across the globe for decades, little was known about the tragic early life of legendary pantomime artist Marcel Marceau. Inspired by his deaf father, the renowned Swiss mime Christoph Staerkle, director Maurizius Staerkle Drux (Concrete Love) sheds new light on the work and influence of Marceau, a profoundly passionate man whose art was grounded in his experience with the French Resistance during World War II. Drux brings together Marceau’s peers, students, and family for the first feature-length documentary about the celebrated performer.

SATURDAY, MARCH 25 | 5:45 PM | GRANGE HALL

LOVELY JACKSON

Dir. Matt Waldeck | Documentary | U.S.A. | 2022 | 1 hr. 44 min.

Followed by a discussion with director Matt Waldeck and film subjects Rickey Jackson, his wife Clarissa Jackson, and their daughter Lovely Jackson

Rickey Jackson was only 18 when he was sentenced to death. For 39 years, three months, and nine days, he sat inside a jail cell for a 1975 Cleveland murder he didn’t commit. To probe into memory’s role in his experience, this new documentary eschews the typical true-crime format, opting instead for surreal reenactments often featuring Jackson himself. While the genre can be treacherous for films trying to recapture and convey raw emotion, director Matt Waldeck’s visceral approach allows for an authentic telling of Jackson's story and offers hope to those desperate for reform in the American criminal justice system.

SATURDAY, MARCH 25 | 8 PM | CAPAWOCK THEATRE

IT’S ONLY LIFE AFTER ALL

Dir. Alexandria Bombach | Documentary | U.S.A. | 2022 | 2 hrs. 3 min.

Followed by a discussion with director Alexandria Bombach 

Well before they became the internationally famous, out-and-proud, folk rock duo known as the Indigo Girls, Amy Ray and Emily Saliers had begun performing together while still just high school students in Decatur, Georgia. This intimate reflection on their long friendship, musical collaboration, and activism is as fun as it is purposeful, a celebration of the independent artist. Sundance-winning director Alexandria Bombach (On Her Shoulders) pairs archival audiotape recordings and footage with contemporary interviews to create a moving career retrospective of these two trailblazers.

SATURDAY, MARCH 25 | 8:30 PM | GRANGE HALL

Flamin’ Hot

Dir. Eva Longoria | Drama | U.S.A. | 2023 | 1 hr. 39 min. | Rated PG-13

Once upon a time, there were no spicy snacks on most grocery store shelves in this country. That all changed in the late 1980s. In her feature directorial debut, Eva Longoria brings us the uplifting story of Richard Montañez, a Frito Lay janitor whose creativity and sheer force of will allowed him to realize his ambitions and invent Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. That claim is now disputed, but this biopic is an undeniable celebration of Mexican-American culture—and a tribute to the enduring power of the American Dream. Jesse Garcia, a star of the Sundance-winning film Quinceañera, leads a cast that also includes Tony Shalhoub and Dennis Haysbert.

SUNDAY, MARCH 26 | 10 AM | GRANGE HALL

Dance Shorts:
Camera and Choreography

1 hr. 30 min.

Island dancers and choreographers Abby Bender and Jesse Jason will be “dance emcees” for this program, performing between films

From the poetic to the political, these short films from Norway, Australia, the U.S., China, and South Korea capture filmmakers and choreographers collaborating to create their own hybrid art form.

SUNDAY, MARCH 26 | 10:15 AM | CAPAWOCK THEATRE

JUDY BLUME FOREVER

Dirs. Davina Pardo and Leah Wolchok | Documentary | U.S.A. | 2023 | 1 hr. 37 min.

Followed by a prerecorded discussion with film subject Judy Blume, co-directors Davina Pardo and Leah Wolchok, and Vineyard Haven children’s librarian Emily LaPierre

In this celebration of a beloved American author who has influenced generations of readers with her radical honesty about puberty and sex, directors Davina Pardo and Leah Wolchok trace Judy Blume's journey from fearful yet imaginative childhood to becoming a storytelling pioneer who faced censorship and fought back. Featuring playful animation, intimate conversations with other writers and artists, and heartfelt letters from fans, this film attests to Blume's lasting impact and contribution to the understanding of sexuality and growing up.

SUNDAY, MARCH 26 | 12:30 PM | GRANGE HALL

IS THERE ANYBODY OUT THERE?

Dir. Ella Glendining | Documentary | United Kingdom | 2023 | 1 hr. 27 min.

Followed by a prerecorded discussion with director and film subject Ella Glendining

Born with a rare condition, British filmmaker Ella Glendining sets out to meet others like her and confront assumptions about living with a disability. Through personal diaries and searching, candid conversations—with similarly bodied people, her family, and doctors—her film challenges us to rethink our ideas about disabilities and the medical response to them. Glendining takes us on a transformative journey that will change the way we see others and ourselves.

SUNDAY, MARCH 26 | 12:45 PM | CAPAWOCK THEATRE

Return to seoul

Dir. Davy Chou | Drama | France / Germany / Belgium / South Korea / Romania / Cambodia / Qatar | 2022 | 1 hr. 55 min. | French, English, and Korean with English subtitles | Rated R 

On a whim, twenty-five-year-old Freddie, a French adoptee, travels back to South Korea for the first time since her birth. Unfamiliar with the culture and language, she searches for her identity in a sea of homogeneity. The third feature from Cambodian-French writer-director Davy Chou, this vibrant international drama has received global acclaim and was Cambodia’s entry for Best International Feature Film at this year’s Academy Awards.

SUNDAY, MARCH 26 | 3 PM | GRANGE HALL

Freedom on fire: ukraine’s fight for freedom

Dir. Evgeny Afineevsky | Documentary | U.K. / U.S.A. / Ukraine | 2022 | 1 hr. 54 min. | Ukrainian and Russian with English subtitles

Followed by a discussion with director Evgeny Afineevsky; Ukrainian-American filmmaker and former Disney Studios executive Iya Labunka will moderate

This film documents the horrible realities of the ongoing war in Ukraine. A companion piece to the director’s 2015 Oscar- and Emmy-nominated film Winter on Fire, it captures the courage and fierce determination of the Ukrainian people, transporting us into a war that started in 2014, immediately after the Maidan Uprising (the Revolution of Dignity), and has continued long past the 2022 Russian invasion. Through the personal stories of civilians, children, soldiers, doctors, the country's elderly, journalists, religious leaders, and international volunteers, this film becomes a humanizing diary of millions of people whose lives have been turned upside down by eight years of conflict.

SUNDAY, MARCH 26 | 4 PM | CAPAWOCK THEATRE

THE LADY BIRD DIARIES

Dir. Dawn Porter | Documentary | U.S.A. | 2023 | 1 hr. 40 min.

Followed by a discussion with director Dawn Porter and producer Kimberly Reynolds

From MVFF favorite and award-winning filmmaker Dawn Porter (Rise Again: Tulsa and the Red Summer) comes this groundbreaking, all-archival film about Lady Bird Johnson, one of the most influential and least understood First Ladies. Delving into the 123 hours of personal audio diaries she recorded during her husband’s presidency—revealing that she was an astute observer of character and culture, as well as a savvy political strategist—it recasts her crucial role in the White House and brings us behind the scenes of one of the most tumultuous, consequential periods in modern American history.

SUNDAY, MARCH 26 | 5:45 PM | GRANGE HALL

Vineyard Shorts

51 min.

Followed by a discussion with directors Matt Taylor and Ollie Becker, and producer Chris Fischer

This program highlights the work of Island residents Chris Fischer, Matt Taylor, and Ollie Becker, whose five thought-provoking short films showcase the diverse voices and creativity of Martha’s Vineyard’s filmmaking community.

SUNDAY, MARCH 26 | 7 PM | CAPAWOCK THEATRE

FLAMIN’ HOT

Dir. Eva Longoria | Drama | U.S.A. | 2023 | 1 hr. 39 min. | Rated PG-13

Once upon a time, there were no spicy snacks on most grocery store shelves in this country. That all changed in the late 1980s. In her feature directorial debut, Eva Longoria brings us the uplifting story of Richard Montañez, a Frito Lay janitor whose creativity and sheer force of will allowed him to realize his ambitions and invent Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. That claim is now disputed, but this biopic is an undeniable celebration of Mexican-American culture—and a tribute to the enduring power of the American Dream. Jesse Garcia, a star of the Sundance-winning film Quinceañera, leads a cast that also includes Tony Shalhoub and Dennis Haysbert.

SUNDAY, MARCH 26 | 8 PM | GRANGE HALL

rye lane

Dir. Raine Allen-Miller | Romantic Comedy | United Kingdom | 2022 | 1 hr. 20 min. | Rated R

A fresh take on romantic comedy, this film begins in a bathroom—and it’s certainly not in posh Notting Hill. Twenty-somethings Dom (David Jonsson) and Yas (Vivian Oparah) are both recovering from bad breakups when they chance to meet at a mutual friend’s photography show. What happens next, over the course of a night and day spent wandering across South London, is by turns unexpected, funny, and heartwarming. Director Raine Allen-Miller’s sizzling feature debut is a love letter to a place and its culture, as the streets and people of Peckham and Brixton are an inextricable part of this freewheeling film’s charm.